Case for cartons



April ll, 1961 M LEV|NE 2,979,222

/30 '36 F|G.2 I

lNvENToR MORTON LEVINE ATTORNEY April ll, 1961 M, LEWNE 2,979,222

CASE FOR CARTONS Filed June 24, 1959 2 SheetS-Sheet 2 f ie H65 ,ao w

20 \6/ i e/ 2o\-J 'Ao i; H4/ (i g N23 zsf: I!! \J' se s; i:

i 36 bg INvENToR MORTON LEVINE M/Mg ATTORNEY United States Patent O 2,919,222 CASE FOR cARToNs Morton Levine, Commonwealth Plastics Corp., 98 Adams Str, Leoniihter, Mass.

Filed June 24, 1'9'59, ser. No. 822,615

s ciaims. (oi. 220-21) This invention relates to a new and improved ciase particularly adapted for carrying and storing bottles, cans, etc., or paper cartons of bottled beverages or the like if desired. It is one of the main objects of the present invention to provide such a case which is lightweight, easily cleaned, and relatively inexpensive to manufacture, the same being in this case made of molded plastic material and comprising a bottom having a special exterior configuration for a purpose to be described, inclined end walls, inclined side walls inclined from the vertical to a lesser degree than the end Walls, and if desired or convenient having a central parttion therein dividing the case into a plurality of smaller compartments, each of which may receive a carton of containers or the like, or loose containers may be held therein; and the provision of a molded plastic case as described which is provided With a generall exterior dimension which is similar to the dimensions of the prior art well known wooden case but has at the same time interior dimensions which are also equal to those of the old wooden case Whereby the new cases may be stacked with the old vertically in such a way as to provide for stable stacks of cases of either filled or empty bottled beverages, etc., by presently available case packing and handling machinery.

Further objects of the invention include the provision of a molded plastic case for bottled beverages and the like which is provided with inclined side walls and end walls, the inclined end walls providing for a new and improved handle construction at the ends of the case, and also there being inwardly-directed ribs arranged along said inclined side and end walls, said ribs extending inwardly into the individual compartments and providing an over-all interior dimension equal to those of the prior art wooden case while at the same time the outer overall dimension of the novel case has dimensions similar to those of the prior art wooden case.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a view in elevation illustrating the new cases in stacked relation;

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of a case;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view thereof;

Fig. 4 is an end view in elevation;

Fig. 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a view in side elevation, looking in the direction of arrow 6 in Fig. 3; and

Fig. 7 is a section on line 7-7 of Fig. 3.

In carrying out the present invention, the same is preferably made of molded plastic material which is strong, easily handled, relatively inexpensive, and which provides a carrier which is extremely easy to clean. As shown in Fig. 1, each case generally indicated at 10 is adapted to carry a certain number of bottles 12 and these may be in the usually well known paper carton or the like. Each carrier 10 is adapted to be stacked on a filled 2,979,Z22 Patented Apr. 11, 1961* ICC 2 case below it and relatively high stacks of su'ch cases may be stored and t'ransp'orted in this manner.

The bottom surface of the container 10is prefer'ably provided withV a-plu'rality of ribs 14 or similar confi'guration which may be arranged in an'y Way desired in order to provide a plu'r'ality of indented recesse's or the like which extend upwardly. The reference numera] 16 indicates where the tops of the bottles in a case below that one shown in' Fig. 2 would normally appear. The waffle--likeV structure prevents slippage of one case relative to the other when in the Fig. l4 stacked relationship, but it is emphasiz'ed that any confor'mation or design as to the ribs 14 is feasible and these may even be circular or oval. In any event, it Will be clear that these recesses are easy to provide due to the fact that the case is molded, and provide an increased coefiicient of friction over cases having smooth surfaces.

Each case comprises a pair of opposite slanting end walls generally indicated at 18, and the walls at each end of the case are the same but reversed. These end walls are slanted outwardly as they extend upwardly as plainly seen in Figs. 4 to 7 and this construction provides that the inner longitudinal measurement at the bottom of the case is a great deal less than the outer longitudinal measurement at the top of the case in spite of the relatively thin walls. A series of triangular ribs 20 are provided, these ribs having inner edges 22 which are substantially vertical. The same is true as to a central indented handle construction 24 having side walls 26, 26 which are also triangular and are of the same shape as ribs 20. This construction forms a recessed handle at each end of the case between the walls 26, 26, and the ribs 20 and walls 26 provide a fixed longitudinal dimension for the case. This handle may be provided with a small down-turned exterior lip 28 so that it may be easily grasped by the fingers.

The side walls generally indicated at 30 are of somewhat similar construction but preferably do not extend out to the same degree as to the angularity thereof as the end Walls-at 18. The side walls 30 are provided with ribs 32 which give a fixed lateral dimension across the case, the outer edges of the ribs at 32 being substantially vertical as shown at 34.

In the case illustrated herein, there are provided cross partitions which form walls 36, 38, 40 and 42, and these are also provided with ribs 44 if desired, but these ribs are not triangular since partitions 36, 38, 40 and 42 are vertical and divide the case into four compartments of the correct shape, as defined by' the vertical edges of ribs 20 and 32 as well as those at 44 for receiving the usual cardboard bottled beverage carton or similar receptacle.

All of the walls including the partitions may be provided With cut-out portions generally indicated at 46 as the case is strong enough without material being used at these points, so that this construction saves both Weight and materials. However, solid walls can also be used if desired.

It will be seen that the construction described above carries out all the objects of the invention and provides a sanitary, ineXpensive and light-weight case of the class described which may be stacked either empty or filled, as illustrated in Fig. 1, and which at the same time although made of molded plastic, may be stacked with oldfashioned wooden cases. Also, the fact that the case is molded allows for the provision of the rib construction on the bottom thereof as seen in Fig. 2 for additional stability of the cases when they are stacked including the contents.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what I claim is:

1. A case of the class described comprising a bottom wall, side walls, and end walls, said side and end walls being inclined outwardly from the bottom wall and the top of the case being open, generally triangular ribs on the side and end walls having substantially vertical inner edges, said ribs defining a rectangular receptacle for cartons or the like, an indented handle in each end wall, said handles each comprising a pair of spaced generally triangular vertical walls having edges aligned with the vertical edges of the triangular ribs in the end Walls, the triangular end wall ribs and the vertical walls of the handle together defining a plane at each end of the case which planes are parallel.

2. The case of claim 1 including a vertical member extendng across the case at the center thereof and forming a partition.

3. The case of claim 1 including an extending rib-like structure on the lower surface of the bottom member defining a series of recesses adapted to receive the caps of bottles or the like which may be contained in any similar case below the bottom surface to prevent relative slipping of the upper case relatve to the lower case when the latter has bottles in it.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

